Fluid pump or motor having roller vanes



Aug. 9, 1966 aw. BRAND ETAL 3,

FLUID PUMP OR MOTOR HAVING ROLLER VANES Filed April 15, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Flam PHIL! HA TMANN 8% a y ATTORNEY Aug. 9, 1966 G w. BRAND ETAL N D NM RAM ORT BR M A. VW N Immm. Em 6H P ATTORNEY 9, 1966 ca. w. BRAND ETAL 4 3,264,944

FLUID PUMP 0R MOTOR HAVING ROLLER VANES Filed April 15, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 3

GEORGE BRAND PHILIP HARTMANN By W7 TORNEV g- 9, 1966' s. w. BRAND ETAL 3,264,944

FLUID PUMP 0R MOTOR HAVING ROLLER VANES Filed April 15, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR$= GEORGE BRAND PHILIP HARTMAM Aug. 9, 1966 w. BRAND ETAL 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 15, 1964 INVENTORS: U9 GEORGE BRAND PHILIP HARTMANN 8W6: 2% Q; 2

Z ITTORNE) F I 6. II

Aug; 9, 1966 w. BRAND ETAL 3,264,944

FLUID PUMP 0R MOTOR HAVING ROLLER VANES Filed April 15, 1964 7 Shuts-Sheet 7 INVEN roRs: EORGE BRAND PHiLEP HARTMANN A TTOR/VE) United States Patent 3,264,944 FLUID FUR i1 QR MQTQR HAVKNG RQLLER VANES George W. llirand and Ihilip Hartmann, Racine, Wis,

assignors to Iiartmann Manufacturing Company, Racine, Win, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Apr. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 359,324

Claims. ((131. 91-82) This invention relates to a fluid pump or motor having roller abutments, and more particularly, it relates to a hydraulic motor for receiving fluid pressure and converting it into rotary motion. This is a continuation-m-spart of U.S. patent application Serial No. 280,611, filed May 15, 1963, and now abandoned.

It is an object of this invention to provide an efficient and generally improved fluid pump or motor, or hydraulic motor, for converting fluid pressure into rotary motion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fluid motor wherein fluid pressure is utilized for producing rotary motion within the unit which is arranged to fluidtightly control the pressure therein for maximum efliciency, and yet have the unit subjected to only a minimum of frictional forces, and with the unit being of a minimum of complexity for manufacturing.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a fluid motor which produces a high torque through a relatively small size unit which also produces a high speed when it is desired. This particular object is accomplished by providing control means which direct the fluid pressure to the Working parts of the unit for either the high torque or the high speed desired, in selective options.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a fluid pump or motor wherein the parts which are exposed to the fluid pressure are fluid tightly arranged to preclude leakage of fluid, and the fluid itself is applied in both the fluid sealing and the incidental movement of the parts in the operation of the unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fluid pump or motor of a stator and rotor type for U!ti1iZi-ng hydraulic pressure to produce rotary motion, and with the unit being highly eflicient in that it is fluid tight, particularly through the utilization of gear teeth between the rotating parts, and also the teeth being available to permit variable radial positioning between the parts, but nevertheless maintain the fluid-tight relationship by virtue of the provision of gear teeth.

This unit also utilizes rollers and a stator meshed together with the rollers spaced around the stator and hav. ing cut-outs to receive vanes on the stator. The object here is to have the roller gear teeth fluid sealed simultaneously at the roller bore and the stator to avoid fluid slip.

This particular invention has found particular application in mobilizing vehicles, such as automobiles and trucks, by providing the vehicle wheel hub with one part of the unit, and providing the vehicle axle with the other part of the unit, and directing the fluid pressure between the two parts to create the necessary rotation of the hub. Also, in connection with this application, the alternate high torque and high speed conditions can be achieved as desired in a vehicle, and also even reverse direction of movement can be accomplished, and all of these features are accomplished by control of the direction of flow of the hydraulic fluid. Accordingly, this is an object of the invention and it will be described in connection with the application to the vehicles.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of this invention and showing a fragment thereof broken Ice away and also showing a fragment of a vehicle rim or hub, and with the section taken along the line 11 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an extension of FIG. 1 and with the section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of that shown in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are like FIG. 2, but in different positions.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view like FIG. 7, with a modification.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are sectional views like FIGS. 2 and 1, respectively, but of a modification, and taken on the lines Ill-'10 and 11-11 of the opposite views.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view of FIG. 10, but showing the unit in an advanced position from that of FIG. 2, and with the view of the roller only being related to that of line 10-1il of FIG. 1.

The embodiment .shown in the drawings consists generally of an outer member or rotor 10, and an inner member or stator 11. These parts respectively can represent the hub of a vehicle wheel and the axle of a vehicle wheel, and it will be further noted that a fragment of a vehicle rim 12 is shown mounted on the rotor 10, and it would of course be understood that these parts are all axially aligned with respect to a wheel in a conventional and obvious manner. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 1, and 2, the stator 11 is stationarily mounted, while the rotor 10 is supported thereon by means of the bearings 13 and 14 to be rotatable there-over. The rotor 10 includes side pieces 16 and 17 and center piece '18. Also, end plates 19 and 21 are included in the rotor 10, and these pieces are all secured together by means of the bolts 22 shown in FIG. 2. A fluid seal 23 is disposed between the rotor 10 and the stator 11 to prevent fluid leaking therepast.

The rotor parts have openings 24 extending therethrough for rotatably receiving rollers 26. Thus, bearings 27 are disposed within the openings 24, and it will of course be understood that the opposite ends 28 of the rollers 26 are rotatably mounted in the rotor pieces 16 and 17. Thus, the roller intermediate or center portion 29 is disposed to extend through the length of the opening 24 in the rotor center piece 18.

FIG. 2 shows that the rotor has a circular wall 31, and the opening 24 intersects the wall 31 so that the roller portion 29 extends through and radially inwardly of the wall 31 as shown in FIG. 2.

The stator 11 also has a central portion 32, and this is shown to be coextensive, or of equal length, with the roller intermediate length 29. Again FIG. 2 shows the stator portion 32 to have a gear pitch circle designated 33 which is spaced from the rotor wall 31 so that the two define an annular space therebetween, and this is the working chamber of the unit. The length of the working chamber is of course the length of the rotor centerpiece 18, and the working chamber is designated 34. Thus the roller intermediate portions 29 extend beyond the working chamber 34, and the side pieces 16 and 17 define the length of the working chamber by their faces 36 and 37, respectively, and these side pieces have a counterbore 38 for fluid tightly receiving the stator central portion 32.

It will also be noted that the stator has vanes 39 eX- tending radially thereon through the working chamber 34 so that the arcuate outer surfaces 41 of the vanes conform to and are fluid tight with the bore wall 31 of the rotor. FIG. 1 shows the width of the vanes 39, and it will of course also be understood that the faces 36 and 37 of the pieces 16 and 17 are overlapping and fluid tight with the sides 40 of the vanes 39. Still further it will be noted in FIG. 2 that the length of the vanes 39 along the wall 31 is suflicient to span the openings 24 so that fluid cannot leak nor flow from one side of the opening 24 to the other side when the vane is positioned thereover as shown at the top of FIG. 2. Also note that each vane 39 has two spaced-apart portions 39a and 3%, with an opening and stator teeth therebetween.

The stator piece 32 and the roller intermediate portions 29 have involute gear teeth 42 and 43 respectively on their circumferences. These teeth are of course in constant mesh as they extend continuously around both the stator and each of the rollers 26, and this therefore keeps the rollers in synchronization with the stator with respect to the vanes 39. The rollers have two pockets or relieved portions 44 and 45 surfaces 41, and they receive the vane portions 39:; and 3%, while the roller teeth mesh with the stator between the portions 39a and 39b. Also, the rollers have the web 50 extending thereon between the pockets 44 and 45, and the web 50 provides for a strong beam strength in the rollers, and it serves to fluid seal with both the stator and the roller openings 24.

FIG. 2, particularly, shows that the teeth 42 and 43 provide a fluid-tight seal therebetween for the desired purpose of retaining the fluid pressure which of course induces the rotation in the rotor 10. Thus fluid pressure indicated P in FIG. 2 can be assumed to be in the area shown, and this will of course be sealed off along the line 46 where the two teeth are meshing, and thus the pressure cannot go beyond that point. Also, the pressure will be acting on that roller 26 downwardly and to the left as viewed in FIG. 2, and thus the pressure will induce rotation of the rotor in the direction indicated by the arrow A since the stator 11 can be held in a fixed position by means not shown. Still further, the fluid pressure P will exert an uncountered force designated B upwardly on the roller tooth as indicated, and this will induce the roller to rotate in the direction indicated C, as desired. Therefore, it will be noted that the fluid pressure induces both the rotor rotation and it further assists in rotating the roller in the direction of rolling relationship with the stator, as desired. Of course, the force on the roller induced by the force designated B is not countered by any force because of the contact line 46 and the balanced pressure between all other teeth. It will of course also be understood that the stator teeth 42 extend throughout the length of the piece 32, and this is of course coextensive with the roller teeth 43, except for the portions of both the stator and the roller where the vane portions 39a and 39b, and the cutouts 44 and 45, are located. Thus it will be understood that the stator can be formed by having its teeth 42 formed entirely around, and for the length of, the piece 32, and then the vanes 39 can have ring teeth formed therein so that the vanes can simply be disposed directly over and in keyed relationship with the teeth 42 on the stator, as shown.

With the provision of the teeth 42 and 43, it will now be seen that the rollers 26 can be mounted in the rotor with the bearings 27, and the fit between the stator and the rollers need not be precise to have virtually complete fluid sealing therebetween. That is, the teeth 42 and 43 can move toward or away from each other within of course the tolerances of their meshing relation, and they will still maintain a fluid seal therebetween because of the nature of the involute type of gear teeth shown. This therefore provides for easy manufacture and interchangeability of parts from one unit to another, since each unit is virtually self-adjusting and yet self-sealing because of the gear teeth feature mentioned.

The stator 11 also includes the elongated portion 47 which is secured to the portion 32 by the key 48. Fluid passageways 49, 51, 52, 53, and 54 and 56 are provided in the stator 11 with the passageways extending through opposite sides of the vanes 39 as shown. These passagewhich pass over the vaneways are in fluid-flow communication with an opening or bore 57 in the member 47. Also it will be noted that a valve 58 is disposed within the bore 57 to be rotatable therein, and the valve has gates 59, 60, 61, 63 and 64 projecting therefrom into fluid-tight contact with the bore 57. Still further, the valve has fluid ports 66, 67 and 68 extending from a central bore 69. It will further be recognized that the vanes fluid seal each of the three ports from the other with respect to the bore 57, at least in the position shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows the end of the member 47, and the ports which communicate with the bore 69 are in common fluid communication with a fluid inlet 71 in a housing 72 surrounding the member 47 and secured thereto by a key 73. Thus a fluid supply line can be connected to the opening 71 and inlet fluid, for instance, can be applied to the bore 69 to create inlet pressure in the valve port and in the chambers between the valve vanes described. Of course if the chambers are in flow communication with the stator passageways 49-56, then the inlet pressure is applied to the working chamber of the unit.

FIG. 3 also shows that the bore 57 connects through the housing 72 to a fluid passageway 74 which has a fluid outlet in a boss designated 75, the same as the boss has its outlet 71. In this manner, passageway 57 and the passageway 69 are normally separated from each other, and it will of course be understood that the bore 57 defines the three passageways 76, 77 and 78, which are fluid-separated from the valve ports and the passageway 69.

A further passageway 79 is provided in the member 47 by means of a tubular member 81, and this passageway 79 provides for drainage of slip oil or the like through the passageway 82 and the housing outlet 83.

An end cap 84 is provided at the end of the housing 72 and is secured to the member 47 by means of the set screws 86. A shift lever 87 is pivoted on the cap 84 through a pin 88, and a lug 89 on the lever 87 engages a slot 91 in the housing 72. It will therefore be understood that upon pivoting the lever 87, its lug 89 can be withdrawn from a locked position with the housing 72, and the cap 84 receives the lever 87 in a slot 92 so that rotation of the lever 87 will also rotate the cap 84 and likewise rotate the member 58. Additional notches 93, 94, and the like are provided in the housing 72 for selective setting of the lever 87 and rotation of the valve 58, for a purpose described later. A spring 96 is provided for retaining the lever 87 in a locked position with respect to the selected one of the notches described.

With respect to the positioning of the valve 58 and the pressurizing of the working chamber 34, it will be noted in FIG. 2, for instance, that if fluid pressure is applied through the opening 71 and into the passageway 69, then it will of course go through the ports 66, 67, and 68, and into the passageways 51, 53, and 56. This pressure will be effective on the rollers 26 which are respectively immediately clockwise from the three passageways mentioned, and this will therefore induce the rotor 10 to rotate in a clockwise direction. Of course the vanes 39 prevent the fluid from passing counter-clockwise beyond the vanes, and thus the fluid pressure can be eflective for the rotation mentioned. In this position of valve operation, the passageways 49, 52, and 54 serve to receive the outlet fluid and conduct it into the passageways 76, 77, and 78 and out the outlet passage mentioned, at 75. In this manner, all of the rollers and all of the three vanes 39 are eflFective to utilize the fluid pressure and rotate the rotor 10.

Therefore, the rotor 10 can be rotated in either direction, and also only selected ones or one of the rollers 26 can have the fluid pressure applied against it by means of manipulation of the valve 58. This therefore gives complete control of both torque and speed and forward or reverse direction of rotation.

Still further, the passageways and the ports and the valve vanes described are all arranged so that the fluid pressure can be best applied, including the application of the pressure during the transition from one position described to another position; that is, FIG, 5, for instance, shows the valve rotated slightly clockwise from the FIG. 2 position, and at this position, the pressure applied, for instance, in the port 68, would be released directly through the outlet through the passageway 56 and the outlet 76, and thus there is a desirable transition or midpoint in the shifting operation where there is no high fluid pressure which could conceivably damage parts.

FIG. 6 shows the position of the valve 58 so that only two of the rollers 26 are in an operative position. Thus, fluid pressure in the bore 69 communicates with the passageway 53 through the port. 67, and likewise it communicates with the passageway 51 through the port 66. In these instances, the passageways 52 and 54 respectively are utilized as return flow passageways. Thus the two stator vanes 39 at the lower portion of FIG. 2 are effective for the operation described.

In the FIGv 7 position the valve 58 is in a neutral position since none of the vanes and rollers can be pressurized by the fluid because of the position and relationship between the valve and the stator. This of course is therefore a neutral position with respect to the drive of the rotor.

FIG. 8 shows a valve position wherein the three vanes 39 of the stator are effective for operation, but this position induces rotation reverse to the rotation induced by the valve position in FIG. 2. Here it will of course be seen that pressure in the passageway 69 extends through the ports 66, 67, and 68 and into the passageways 52, 54, and 49 respectively. This therefore applied fluid pressure to one side of the three vanes 39 to induce the rotation mentioned.

FIG. 9 shows a modification of the embodiment shown, for instance in FIG. 7. It will here be noted that the valve is provided with vanes '96, 97, 98, 99, 101, and 102, which are sufliciently dimensioned to cover the passageways 49 and the like, and therefore block flow through the passageways. With the FIG. 9 embodiment and with the valve set in the position shown in FIG. 9, it will then be understood that this provides a brake or precludes rotation of the rotor with respect to the stator since fluid cannot flow through the passageways. It will therefore be apparent that where this type of stop or brake arrangement is desired, then the valve 58 can be modified to simply provide the enlarged vanes as shown.

Thus the advantages of this unit are the provision of a gear seal between the rotor and the stator with their respective teeth 43 and 42. These elements can of course move radially away or toward each other and still retain their seal because of the nature of the gear teeth. Also the torque and the speed can be varied by the manipulation of the valve 58. Of course the rotor can also be reversed in its direction of rotation. Still further, the fluid pressure applied in the working chamber will actually assist the rotation of the rollers 26 by virtue of the pressure indicated by arrow B which tends to rotate the roller in the desired direction.

FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 show another embodiment of the invention, and in this instance the inner member 103 is rotatable while the outer member 104 is stationary. The outer member can of course be fixed in an appropriate mounting by means of the bolt holes 106. Here it will also be noted that the inner member or rotor 103 has involute type gear teeth 107 extending therearound through the intermediate portion designated 108. Also the outer or stator member 104 has rollers 109 similar to the rollers 26 of the other embodiment, and the rollers have involute gear teeth 111 which of course mesh with the teeth 107 and extend through the intermediate length 112 of the rollers. At this time it will also be noted that the stator 103 has only two vanes 113 diametrically oppositely disposed compared to the three vanes 39 in the other embodiment. Likewise there are only four rollers 109 compared tothe six rollers 26 in the other embodiment.

Of course again the vanes 113 are in two portions 113a and 113b, and these portions are spaced apart as shown and they are disposed also to span the openings 114 which receive the rollers 109. Thus the vane outer surfaces 116 are spaced apart a distance adequate to span the roller opening 114 as mentioned. Also, the rollers 109 have the two pockets 117 and 118 which pass over or actually receive the vane portions 113a and 11311 upon rotation of the rotor 103. Therefore the rollers have the web portion 119 which extends to the circumference of the remainder of the roller 109 and has its gear teeth 111 on the extending end to mesh with the rotor teeth 107 as shown.

In this manner, the roller and inner member are arranged and related the same as in the other embodiment, and the rollers are rotatably mounted by means of the bearings 27 and the sleeves 121 pressed onto the ends of the rollers. Also the two sets of rollers have axial openings 122 extending completely therethrough from end to end so that fluid can flow between the ends of the rollers in the event that fluid gets to one end of a roller and therefore the roller will be fluid balanced. The sleeves 121 provide a sealing surface 123 extending around the roller bores 24.

Thus in the second embodiment, fluid may come into the unit by appropriate means to be applied against the inner rotor and rotate the same in the manner described hereinafter.

It will of course be understood that the unit has a working chamber designated 124 and this chamber is defined by the inner circular wall 126 of the outer member 104 and the circumference of the rotor designated 127 and defined by the gear teeth 107. Thus fluid pressure may be applied through the fluid passageway 128 and it can of course enter the chamber 124 to exert a pressure on the vane 113 in the direction indicated by the arrow designated H and also it will be exerted on the roller in the direction of the arrow indicated 1. The passageway 128 is at least partly shown in the drawings and would of course extend from an inlet port 129 in the member 104 and into an annulus 131 extending around the rotor 103. The passageway 128 then extends diagonally through the rotor 103 to one side of the vane 113 as indicated. For convenience, a similar passageway is designated 132 and extends from the inlet annulus 131 to the diametrically opposite side of the rotor 103 with respect to the passageway 128. Therefore the opposite sides of the working chamber 124 are pressurized, and in this instance would of course cause rotation of the rotor in the clockwise direction. To complete the fluid passageways, outlet passageways 133 and 134 extend from the diametrically opposite sides of the working chamber 124 and from opposite sides of the respective vanes 113 to of course direct the fluid out from the chamber 124 and into an annulus 1 36 which communicates with an outlet passageway 137 in the outer member 104. In this instance, the outlet passageways 133 and 134 are fully shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, and of course the inlet passageways would be the same as these.

FIG. 11 particularly shows the member 104 consists of two portions 138 and 139 which are secured together by bolts 141. These portions also support a ball bearing 142 and end caps 143 and 144 which enclose the housing or outer member 104. Of course the ball bearing 142 also provides the rotational support for the rotor 103 in its reduced end portions designated 146.

It will also be noted that the member 104 has cylindrical openings 147 in each of its half portions, and the openings 147 actually of course receive the bearings 148 and sleeves 121, which in turn receive the reduced end portions 149 of the rollers 109. Thus the member 104 provides a completely enclosed pocket for receiving the ends of the rollers 109 so that fluid or the like cannot escape. Also, the housing halves 138 and 139 have inner faced portions 151 which are spaced apart a distance to snugly receive the roller intermediate length 112 which is of course the length of the roller gear teeth 111. This is of course also the length of the rotor intermediate portion 108 and thus the faces 151 are fluid tight with the abutting surfaces of the rotor portion 108. Also, the housing or outer member 104 has an inner annulus 152 defined by the circular wall 126 and the side walls 153 which are of course spaced apart. Here it will of course be noted that the rotor vanes 113 project into the annulus 152 and are of course in sliding and fluid tight relation with the walls 153 and also with the circular wall 126. Of course the length of the gear teeth 107 and 111 on the rotor 103 and the rollers 109 respectively extend for a length longer than the axial length of the annulus 152, as shown in FIG. 11. However the vanes 113 extend for the length of the annulus 152 as mentioned, and likewise the openings or pockets 117 and 118 in the rollers 109 extend only for the length of the vanes 113 as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 11. Therefore, the length of the gear teeth described is longer than the axial length of the working chamber 124, and in this manner the meshed members are fully synchronized at all times and they are also fluid-tightly related at all times in areas where fluid might otherwise leak by the two members.

An important feature is the provision of the rib 119 in the roller 109, and this provides for the meshing of the roller and the rotor in the space between the vane portions 113a and 11312, and it also provides for beam strength of the roller 109. An important additional feature of the rib 119 and its gear teeth 111 is shown with respect to FIG. 12. Here it will be noted that the fluid pressure indicated H in FIG. 10 has caused the rotor to rotate clockwise to the position shown in FIG. 12, and this pressure is now acting on the rollers 109 as indicated by the arrow Ha and the arrow I. Thus the roller at the top of FIG. 12 will be urged upwardly and to the left against its roller bore 147, and likewise the roller on the left of FIG. 12 will be urged downwardly and to the left against its roller bore 147. It will of course also be noted that the working chamber below the left hand roller is under outlet pressure only and therefore it is important that the left hand roller fully seal with the bore 147 so that fluid cannot leak past that roller in the downward direction and toward the outlet. To accomplish this sealing, the roller teeth 111 are provided so that they can fluid seal with the bore 147 across the entire length of the bore 147 between the walls 151 of the member 104. The significance of this arrangement is such that the roller on the left hand side fluid-tightly seals in the area generally designated 154 and in fact remains sealed in this area with respect to the bore 147 until the area generally designated 156 is fluid sealed by the upper roller teeth and the rotor teeth. Accordingly, the fluid pressure in the inlet passageway 128 is fully sealed off with respect to the working chamber to the left of the upper vane 113 before the left hand roller 109 has its pocket 118 open to the working chamber above the roller. Without this sealing relationship as just described, high pressure fluid would be able to pass the rollers and escape to the outlet passageways at this transition period or point in operation and this of course would cause a jerk or interrupted operation in the unit. Notice that the pressure indicated by the arrow I would act downwardly and to the left on the left hand roller and would force that roller down in the bore 147 and therefore the pressure could escape around the bore 147 along the crest of the roller teeth 111 until it reaches the diametrically opposite side of the roller 109 and would be able to escape directly to the outlet if it were not for the sealing area designated 154.

The same sealing feature exists with respect to the other embodiment. Therefore the section on the line 10-10 in FIG. 1 shows the rollers and their relationship in FIG. .12 with respect to both embodiments except of course the synchronization between the rollers and the inner member are different between the two embodiments because of the different number of rollers. However, in both embodiments, the ratio of rollers 109 to vanes 113 is two to one.

Also it will be noted that the section line designated 1111 in FIG. 10 is irregular for the purpose of showing the passageways 129 and 137.

It will be noted that the upper roller fluid seals with the member 103 at 156 while the adjacent roller has its gear teeth still extending into fluid-sealing mesh with the member 103 at 158, as well as the fluid sealing at the area 154. The location of the gear teeth on the rollers is such that the tooth 111 is adjacent the working chamber and is located less than 180 degrees around the roller and on the side opposite from the chamber having pressure I, at the time that the two adjacent rollers are in mesh with the teeth 127. In fact, the teeth 111 sealing at 154 are shown located less than degrees from the sealing teeth at 158. Thus, the sealing at 158 and 154 remains until there is sealing at 156. So there is no leakage from the inlet 128' and through the chamber with pressure I.

While two embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious that certain changes could be made in the embodiment and the invention should therefore be determined only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A motor for converting fluid pressure into rotary motion comprising a stator including radially extending vanes of two circumferentially spaced-apart portions and having fluid passageways extending in said stator only on opposite sides of each of said vanes and being free of any fluid passageway between said portions, a rotor rotatably mounted on said stator and having a circular bore for reception of said vanes and having openings on the circumference of the wall of said bore, the number of said rollers being twice the number of said vanes, rollers rotatably mounted in said openings of said rotor and with said rollers and said stator both having gear teeth in meshing relation and being in fluid-sealing relation therebetween for fluid partitioning between the latter two elements across said bore and with each of said rollers having two cut-outs along only the intermediate lengths of said gear teeth on said rollers for respectively passing over said spaced-apart portions of said vanes, said rollers including a web portion extending between said cut-outs and into mesh with said stator, and said portions of said vanes being spaced apart a distance sufficient to extend along said wall to span said openings and fluid seal across the latter.

2. A motor for converting fluid pressure into rotary motion comprising a stator including a circular portion, a rotor rotatably mounted on said stator and having a circular bore for reception of said circular portion of said stator and defining a working chamber between said circular bore and said central portion and said rotor having openings in the wall of said bore, rollers rotatably mounted in said openings of said rotor and extending into said working chamber and thereacross, said rollers and said circular portion of said stator both having gear teeth extending across said working chamber and being in meshing and fluid-sealing relation therebetween for fluid partitioning between the latter two elements across said working chamber, radially extending vanes on only the intermediate width of said gear teeth on said stator circular portion and projecting to said wall and fluid-sealing therewith and having a vane opening extending to said gear teeth on said stator, each of said rollers having two cut-outs along only the intermediate width of said gear teeth on said rollers for snugly passing across said vanes and including a web partitioning said cut-outs and extending to the circumference of said rollers and projecting into said vane opening with said gear teeth in mesh with said stator gear teeth, said vanes being one-half the number of said rollers and of a size to extend along said wall to span said roller openings and fluid seal across the latter,

and said motor having fluid inlet passageways and fluid outlet passageways extending therein only on respective opposite sides of each of said vanes and being free of any fluid passageway in flow communication with said vane opening.

3. A fluid pump or motor comprising an inner member and an outer member arranged with an annular space therebetween and said members being relatively rotatable, said outer one of said members having bores therein contiguous to said annular space and spaced therearound, rollers rotatably mounted in said bores and extending through said annular space, said inner one of said members and said rollers both having gear teeth in meshing and fluid-sealing relation across the entire axial length of said annular space, vanes radially extending on said inner one of said members in spaced relation therearound and through said annular space and having a central opening and being in fluid-sealing relation with said outer one of said members and being of a length sufficient to span said bores and being of a width less than and intermediate said axial length of said annular space, said rollers being twice the number of said vanes and having two cut-outs and an intermediate web respectively dimensioned to snugly receive said vanes and with said web projecting into said vane central opening upon relative rotation of said members, said inner one of said members having a fluid inlet passageway and a fluid outlet passageway extending only on opposite sides of each of said vanes and being free of any fluid passageway in flow communication with said central opening, said gear teeth on said rollers being located to have said gear teeth on one of said rollers fluid seal with said gear teeth on said inner one of said members and with said outer one of said members in said bore to the side opposite from an adjacent one of said rollers until said adjacent one of said rollers forms a fluid seal with said gear teeth on said inner one of said members.

4. A fluid motor comprising an inner member and an outer member arranged with an annular space therebetween and said members being relatively rotatable, one of said members having bores therein contiguous to said annular space and spaced therearound, rollers rotatably mounted in said bores on said one of said members and extending through said annular space, the other of said members and said rollers both having gear teeth disposed therearound in meshing and fluid-sealing relation across the entire axial length of said annular space, vanes radially extending on said other of said members in spaced relation therearound and through said annular space and including two spaced-apart portions and being in fluidsealing relation with said one of said members and being of a length suflicient to span said bores and being of a width less than said axial length of said annular space to be spaced from the longitudinal end limits of said annular space, the number of said rollers being twice the number of said vanes and with each of said rollers having two cut-outs in the circumference with each dimensioned with a Width like that of said vanes to respectively snugly receive said portions of said vanes upon relative rotation of said members, a web on each of said rollers intermediate said cut-outs and projecting to the circumference of said roller, said other of said members having a fluid inlet passageway and a fluid outlet passageway with both extending respectively only on opposite sides of each of said vanes and being free of any fluid passageway between said portions, valve means in said other of said members and having a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port in separate flow communication with certain of said passageways, said valve means being shiftable and having its said ports disposed to fluid-flow communicate with selected ones of said passageways for fluid pressurizing selected ones of said rollers and for reversing relative rotation of said members, said gear teeth being disposed on said rollers to be sufficient to have said gear teeth on two adjacent ones of said rollers in mesh with said geath teeth on said other of said members at the same time that said web of one of said rollers is in fluid-sealing relation in its bore at the side of said one of said rollers opposite from the other of said rollers.

5. A fluid motor comprising an inner member and an outer member arranged with an annular space therebetween and said members being relatively rotatable, one of said members having bores therein spaced therearound and defined by circular walls, rollers rotatably mounted in said bores on said one of said members and extending through said annular space, the other of said members and said rollers both having gear teeth in meshing and fluidsealing relation across the axial length of said annular space, vanes radially extending on said other of said members in spaced relation therearound and through said annular space and being in fluid-sealing relation with said one of said members, said vanes being of a length sufi'icient to span said bores and having a central opening, the ratio of said rollers to said vanes being two to one, said other of said members having a fluid inlet passageway and a fluid outlet passageway extending only on opposite sides of each of said vanes and being free of any fluid passageway in flow communication with said central opening, each of said rollers having two pockets interrupting said gear teeth for receiving said vanes upon relative rotation of said members, a web on each of said rollers projecting to the circumference of said rollers and into said vane central opening, the size of said pockets around said roller and the remaining length of said gear teeth and said web all being sufiicient to have said gear teeth of two adjacent rollers in mesh with said gear teeth of said other of said members for formingva fluid-tight chamber between said rollers at the same time that said web of both of said two adjacent rollers are on said Walls of said bores at respective points adjacent said annular space and less than 180 degrees around said rollers on the sides opposite from said fluid-tight chamber to be fluid tight with said walls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 813,854 2/1906 Burtich 91-92 821,707 5/1906 Dawe 9192 X 958,416 5/1910 Metcalf et al 92-92 1,166,598 1/1916 Keene 9192 X 1,269,735 6/1918 Ogden 9l92 1,969,620 8/1934 Mau 9192 2,130,054 9/1938 Whitfield 230 2,244,830 6/1941 Doe et a1 6053 X 2,272,620 2/ 1942 Hoffar 9192 X 2,690,164 9/1954 Skok 91-92 2,915,980 12/1959 Hartmann 103125 v FOREIGN PATENTS 8,200 1909 Great Britain. 376,162 7/ 1932 Great Britain. 445,072 4/ 1936 Great Britain. 602,836 6/ 1948 Great Britain. 643,937 9/ 1950 Great Britain.

79,657 11/1931 Sweden.

MARK NEWMAN, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL LEVINE, Examiner.

A. S. ROSEN, Assistant Examiner.

Disclaimer 3,264,944.-Ge0rge W. Bwmd and Philip Hartmmm, Racine, lVis. FLUID PUMP OR MOTOR HAVING ROLLER VANES. Patent dated Aug. 9, 1966. Disclaimer filed July 25, 1966, by the inventors and the assignee. I1 artmann Manufacturing Company. Hereby enter this disclaimer t0 the terminal portion of the patent subsequent to July 12, 1983.

[Ofiicz'al Gazette October 11, 1966.] 

1. A MOTOR FOR CONVERTING FLUID PRESSURE INTO ROTARY MOTION COMPRISING A STATOR INCLUDING RADIALLY EXTENDING VANES OF TWO CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED-APART PORTIONS AND HAVING FLUID PASSAGEWAYS EXTENDING IN SAID STATOR ONLY ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF EACH OF SAID VANES AND BEING FREE OF ANY FLUID PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN SAID PORTIONS, A ROTOR ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID STATOR AND HAVING A CIRCULAR BORE FOR RECEPTION OF SAID VANES AND HAVING OPENINGS ON THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE WALL OF SAID BORE, THE NUMBER OF SAID ROLLERS BEING TWICE THE NUMBER OF SAID VANES, ROLLER ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID OPENINGS OF SAID ROTOR AND WITH SAID ROLLERS AND SAID STATOR BOTH HAVING GEAR TEETH IN MESHING RELATION AND BEING IN FLUID SEALING RELATION THEREBETWEEN FOR FLUID PARTITIONING BETWEEN THE LATTER TWO ELEMENTS ACROSS SAID BORE AND WITH EACH OF SAID ROLLRS HAVING TWO CUT-OUTS ALONG ONLY THE INTERMEDIATE LENGTHS OF SAID GEAR TEETH ON SAID ROLLERS FOR RESPECTIVELY PASSING OVER SAID SPACED-APART PORTIONS OF SAID VANES, SAID ROLLERS INCLUDING A WEB PORTION EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID CUT-OUTS AND INTO MESH WITH SAID STATOR, AND SAID PORTIONS OF SAID VANES BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO EXTEND ALONG SAID WALL TO SPAN SAID OPENINGS AND FLUID SEAL ACROSS THE LATTER. 